Author
Topic: totally new at being a beek (Read 2087 times)

hey all, just came across the forum here and decided to join. I just this year made a langstroth hive, in Michigan of the US of A, and just filled it with a 3lb package may 4th 2013. totally terrified, and so they've been in the hive for a whole 3 days now. not sure if the queen has even been freed from her cage yet (I plan on checking tomorrow) anyways, looking to learn a lot, and know I have a lot to learn as usual.

everything is going just swarmingly....these new hives seem to be about as docile as the family dog honestly, and they are busy as all get-go. new bees are just now starting to come out of cells, so the hives are expending nicely, and they have tons of pollen and honey. The second brood box is being filled out nicely I put it under the first, not on top of the first and am and have been using small cell foundation. I have noticed since I put it on, and put on the 4 inch entrance reducer instead of the 2" they haven't been as active at the entrance like they were...I might move back to the 2" and give them less of a area to protect, any thoughts?

I have noticed since I put it on, and put on the 4 inch entrance reducer instead of the 2" they haven't been as active at the entrance like they were...I might move back to the 2" and give them less of a area to protect, any thoughts?

Have you ever noticed how much more traffic there seems to be when a 4 lane highway is reduced to 2 and then how all the traffic goes away when it opens up to 4 again? Maybe what you are seeing is just your perception of less crowding at the entrance. Maybe there isn't a change at all and it just looks that way?

Anyway, I have been told the small hole on the reducer is the "winter" hole and the large one is the "summer" hole. If you are now in 2 deeps, meaning you have at least 80% of the frames covered in your first deep, then I would say it is safe to go ahead and remove the reducer all together. They are plenty strong enough to defend the hive and are going to be getting stronger very fast. Hot weather is coming and you will want lots of ventilation.

I am curious about adding the second box below. I would think this would make checking on new progress more difficult. Is there a reason you did that?

valid point on the 4 lanes into 2, and I did think about that as well.

I came into some insane thought of bees liking to build downward, since thats what they do in nature. plus with a bottom entrance, it is less travel room from the entrance to put pollen/etc, and it is also less hot, I would figure, since heat rises. less heat means less work ventilating, yet since the heat gathers at the top of the hive, they can move up if they wish to get warmer by chance. Less work means bees do not exhaust themselves out and die younger (which is why bees live longer through winter than summer I believe.) does it make it harder to do a inspection? yes and no...I sugar dust anyways for mite control, and do both brood chambers. I also clean out my bottom board, and only switch to a screened board much later in the season....never known a natural hive to have a screened bottom in it frankly....